Hand line guide



Feb. 24, 1953 J. A. TRUCHON, SR

HAND LINE GUIDE Filed Oct. 1, 1951 Gttornegs 3m entor Patented Feb. 24, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Claims.

This invention relates to a handline guide, that is, a guide or support for a handline used in drawing up utility wires, such, for example, as distribution conductor wires for electrical companies, telephone wires and the like, and has for an object to provide a simple, improved support and guide for the handline while it is being used in drawing up the wires to remove slack or give them the proper tension, and will support and guide the line in such a way as to facilitate the drawing up of the wires and also will prevent ravelling and tearing of the line during the drawing up of the wires.

Another object is to provide such a device which may be easily and quickly mounted in the bracket for supporting the spools used in fastening the wires on a pole and the like, and may be as easily removed after use.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, I have devised the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification. It is, however, to be understood the invention is not limited to the specific details of construction and arrangement shown, but

may embody various changes and modifications within the scope of the invention.

In this drawing: 7

Fig. 1 shows the device mounted in a spool bracket on a utility post or pole in position for use for supporting the handline attached to wires to be drawn up for attachment to the spools mounted on this bracket;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of this guide;

Fig. 3 is a side view thereof, and

Fig. 4 is an end view looking from the left of Figs. 2 and 3.

The bracket 5 comprises a base 6 provided with a series of openings 1 for passage of screws or bolts 8 for mounting the bracket on the side of the utility post or pole 9. This bracket includes several laterally or forwardly extending arms It for carrying the spindle H for the spools I2 which support and to which the electrical wires are fastened by suitable securing wires either in passage from one pole to another or in a dead end wire which is secured to the spool. In drawing up a wire for removing slack or getting a proper tension before securing it to the spool, a handline I3 is secured to the wire, and usually this line is passed over the top of one of the arms IEI of the bracket, as indicated in dotted lines at 14. In drawing up the wires the line goes down to the ground where the men are working and it is pulled from there. The edges of these arms I 0 are often quite sharp so that as the rope or line is drawn over them it is ravelled and torn and quickly ruined. This device is to obviate this and also to facilitate the operation of drawing up the wires in securing the proper tension.

This device indicated at 15 comprises a body as provided with a stud ll projecting from one end to seat in one of the bolt openings 1 in the base 8 of the bracket. As these openings are usually elongated the stud is also preferably elongated as shown, and projects from and is surrounded by a shoulder I 8 to rest against the front surface of the base 6 of the bracket and help support the guide. In the drawing, the device is shown as supported in one of the openings in the bracket which is located between the. arms Illa and Hit. To also help support this guide it is provided with a vertical recess l9 opening through one side and the entrance to the recess is inclined as shown in Fig. 2 and leads to a curved seat 20 passing up right through the body It to receive the spindle ll supporting the spools on the bracket. When in position the spindle is held in this recess, or that is, the guide is retained on the spindle by a releasable trigger or clamp 2 i. In the form shown this member 2| is pivoted at one end by a pin 22 in a recess I5a in one side of the body I6, and

this trigger or clamp has a laterally extending lug 23 provided with a curved seat 24 which when this clamp is in the closed position is opposite the seat 20 as shown in Fig. 2 and provides with it a substantially circular opening and seat for the spindle rod H. The block 23 extends across the entrance 19 of the recess to prevent passage of the spindle from this space between the curved surfaces 20 and 24. This trigger or clamp is held in the closed position by a spring catch 25 secured to the body It and having a suitable curved end or shoulder 26 to engage the end of the clamp 2i and releasably hold it in the closed position.

'The clamp is provided on its outer side with a finger grip 27 by which it may be released by pulling it outwardly to the dotted line position of Fig. 2 to release the guide from the spindle H and permit its removal from the bracket.

cm the opposite end from the stud I! the guide .is provided with an outwardly extending arm or extension 28 having an upturned end 29 to prevent the handline sliding off this end when used, and this arm is provided with a rounded or convexly curved and smooth top surface 30, although it may include a substantially flat intermediate surface 30a between the rounded portions 301: at the opposite side edges to give a wider bearing surface for the handline. This surface 30 is pref-- erably depressed somewhat below the top surface 16a of the body Hi.

When in use the device is mounted in the bracket 5, as indicated in Fig. 1, in any available location thereon. Then in drawing up a wire the handline l3 attached to this wire is drawn over the smooth rounded upper surface 30 of the forwardly projecting arm 28, and as it is pulled up by the men on the ground to draw the conductor wire tight or remove slack, the handline slides readily over the rounded smooth surface 30 of this extension 28 and. is not out or ravelled and, furthermore, it is more easily operated because of the smooth rounded surfaces. This device holds the rope or line in position and saves it from ravelling or being worn or out by sharp edges as it would be when drawn over the arms In of the spool rack in drawing up the wires for fastening them to the spools. It may also be used for supporting a block and tackle when such a device is used for drawing the wires tight.

It will be clear from the above that the device is a very simple one and may be easily and quickly mounted in position, by merely inserting the stud I1 in one of the bolt holes 1 with the spool spindle ll seated in the bottom 20 of the recess in the body, this, of course, being done with the trigger or clamp 2| in the open or dotted line position of Fig. 2. Then this trig ger is swung to the closed position shown in full lines, in which it will be held by the catch 25 and will effectively hold the guide device on the spindle H and in the bracket 5 while the device is being used as a guide for the handline or support for a block and tackle. After the wires have been drawn and secured, the device may be easily and quickly removed by swinging the trigger or clamp 2| to the open position, thus releasing the spindle II and permitting the device to be easily and quickly removed from the bracket.

Having thus set forth the nature of my invention, I claim:

1. A handline guide of the character described comprising a body provided at one end with a stud to enter an opening in the base of a spool supporting bracket to mount the body thereon, said body being provided with a recess opening through one side to receive the spool supporting spindle on the bracket, a shiftable member mounted on the body to retain the spindle in the recess, and a guide arm extending outwardly from the body in the opposite direction from said stud and provided with a rounded upper surface forming a guide surface for a handline while drawing up a wire.

2. A handline guide of the character. described comprising a body provided at one end with .a stud to enter an opening in the base of a spool supporting bracket to mount the body thereon, said body being provided with a recess opening through one side having, a curved wall surface forming a seat for the spool supporting spindle on the bracket, a retractible "member mounted on the body and provided with a seat opposed to that. of the body when in closed. osition to 4 retain the spindle in the recess, catch means for retaining the said member in closed position, and a guide arm extending from the body at the opposite end from the stud and provided with a rounded upper guide surface for a handline.

3. A handline guide for mounting on a spool bracket for conductor wires including a base and a spindle for mounting the spools, said guide comprising a body member provided with a stud projecting from one end to enter an opening in the base of the bracket, a shoulder at the inner end of the stud to engage the front face of the bracket base, a recess opening through one side of the body leading to a seat for said spindle, means on the body for releasably retaining it on the spindle, and an arm guide projecting from the other end of the body and provided with a rounded smooth upper surface forming a guiding and supporting surface for a handline attached to a wire in drawing the wire up taut.

4. A handline guide for mounting on a spool bracket for conductor wires including a base and a spindle for mounting the spools, said guide comprising a body member provided with a stud projecting from one end to enter an opening in the base of the bracket, an upright inclined recess opening through one side of the body and leading to a seat for said spindle, releasable means on the body to engage the spindle and retain it in the recess, and a guide arm projecting from the other end of the body provided with a rounded smooth upper surface to support and guide a handline attached to a wire in drawing the wire taut.

5. A handline guide for mounting on a spool bracket for conductor wires including a base and a spindle for mounting the spools, said guide comprising a body member provided with a stud projecting from one end to enter an opening in the base of the bracket, an upright inclined recess opening through one side of the body and leading to a seat for said spindle, a clamp pivotally mounted in the body and provided with a portion extending when in closed position across at least a part of said recess to retain the body on the spindle, means releasably holding the clamp in closed position, and a guide arm projecting from the other end of the body provided with a rounded smooth upper surface to support and guide a handline attached to a wire in drawing the wire taut.

JOSEPH A. TRUCHON, SR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 207,224 Turner Aug. 20, 1878 1,117,023 Gandy Nov. 10, 1914 1,648,903 Johnson Nov. 15', 1927 

